Accident Details
A Grumman G-164A 'AgCat' aircraft experienced a loss of directional control during takeoff from a soft, sandy airstrip approximately 15 feet wide. After about 900 feet of takeoff roll, the aircraft rolled off the left side of the airstrip, which was also used as a road. The aircraft came to rest after rotating roughly 200 degrees counter-clockwise from the takeoff heading. High wheat flanked both sides of the landing strip at the time of the accident.
Structural Findings
Post-accident examination revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft. However, structural overload was noted: the left wing spray boom retention arm aft brackets had separated in overload, and the right main landing gear strut also separated during the event.
Operator Report
The operator reported that the left wing and spray boom entered the wheat along the side of the airstrip, pulling the aircraft off the strip and into the wheat field. The pilot was unable to recover directional control using the rudder. The aircraft subsequently sustained damage as a result of the encounter with the wheat and the ground.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a Grumman G-164A 'AgCat', a single-engine agricultural aircraft commonly used for crop dusting and spraying operations.